Say hello to the Wake n’ Bacon. Simply put a frozen strip of bacon into it when you go to bed. 10 minutes before you’re supposed to wake up, it’ll start cooking the bacon. The smell will waft out, waking you up to the odor of sweet, sweet hogfat. If you don’t wake up, a small alarm will go off. Sure, that’s annoying, but at least your bedroom will smell like bacon, right?

Mathlete, via BornRich

(Via DVICE.)

Filed under: Household

Frankly, we’re disappointed. It’s 2008, the veritable future, and you still don’t have an RFID-based automatic sliding doggie door? For shame! The Plexidor Electronic Doggie Door allows for all that nice canine coming and going with none of the less-nice house robbing a regular flap door enables. Your dog gets to wear an RFID chip on his collar, which lets the door know to automatically slide up when he shows up — hopefully with a sort of squeegee sound to complete the sci-fi effect. Prices range from $700 to $800 depending on configuration.

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(Via Engadget.)

By Andrew Liszewski

Worried about those no-good neighborhood kids crashing your pool at night? Just install a bunch of these RC surveillance camera + floodlight combos around your backyard and you’ll be one step ahead of them, even in the middle of the night. Other than requiring a power cable, the camera is completely wireless and will broadcast a 510×492 pixel video signal right to the TV in your living room (via an A/V receiver) as long as it’s within 300 feet. The camera also includes a light sensor which will automatically switch on a night vision mode allowing you to see what’s going on up to 23 feet away in complete darkness, or a bright 150-watt halogen bulb which also serves as a deterrent to unwanted visitors.

You can actually install and monitor up to 4 different cameras from a single TV, with each camera being assigned its own channel, or having them all cycle through on a single channel in 5 second intervals. It even includes a remote allowing you to dim, brighten or flash the floodlight as well as pan the camera 330° or tilt it 110° providing a greater view of your property. You can get it from Hammacher Schlemmer for $399.95.

[ Remote Controlled Outdoor Camera And Floodlight ]

(Via OhGizmo!.)

This gummy stuff will clean your keyboard and even disinfect it with one fell plop. At about $20 it’s not cheap – and not available in the U.S. but I definitely could use some on my groddy, greasy keboard. It looks like I’ve been eating chocolate and beef jerky over this thing. Seriously.

(Via CrunchGear.)

Filed under: Household

For whatever reason, toasters are redesigned entirely more often than most any other kitchen gadget, but the Trapdoor Toaster may actually be an alternative worth checking out. First off, the item you see above is no concept — as a matter of fact, it’s available for purchase right now at Hammacher Schlemmer. Essentially, this thing inhales bread, bagels and frozen waffles, toasts ‘em to your preferred level of brown / black and then shoots them out below onto a serving tray. Sadly, this removes that iconic eject function that makes traditional toasters so fun to watch, but it does prevent you from scalding your fingertips as you try to dig out slices from the fiery slots. Novel? You bet. Worth the $79.95 asking price? Not on your life.

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

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(Via Engadget.)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We’re usually pretty jaded when people tell us that we “won’t believe” what we’re seeing in a videos sent to tips — right, right, a cellphone demon, nice one — but it sure seems like the Golden Shellback waterproof coating is the real deal. Developed at the Northeast Maritime Institute and hopefully headed to production sometime soon, the process involves applying the coating to your precious toys inside a vacuum, after which they’re basically impervious to all liquids — in one test, a coated device spent over 450 hours powered on and functional underwater. There are some downsides: you can’t remove the coating, so any repairs will involve “abrasive methods,” which sounds like quite a commitment. That said, we’ll take a little abrasion in our lives if it means we never have to worry about spilling on our keyboards ever again. Video after the break.

[Via gCaptain]

Continue reading Golden Shellback waterproofing defies water, reality

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(Via Engadget.)

The 2008 International Design Excellence Awards are in. These are like the Oscars of the industrial design world, taking the pulse of what’s going on, highlighting tons of weird and wonderful gadgets. We have picked the best, the weirdest, and the most wonderful, from laser liners that look like Wall-E’s Eve evil twin, microwave containers with lids, and wall-mounted home server enclosures straight out of Star Trek, to self-propelled sprayers (like me), NYC condom dispensers/wrappers (no connection there), a “vibrating massager” that looks like an aubergine, and even a precision timing detonation system.

The Gadget: Dyno Nobel Super EZ Connector – Precision Timing Detonation System
What it is: “Dyno Nobel’s Super EZ Connectors form the attachments of a precision, non-electric, timed detonation system used in blasting. They link together shocktubes, a type of specialized fuse which burns at a rate of 7000 feet per second.”
Why we like it: They look like Scalextric controls. They make things explode. What is not to like.

The Gadget: Jimmyjane FORM 6 Water-Resistant, Rechargeable Vibrating Massager
What it is: “Form 6 is the only rechargeable vibrating massager that is also water-resistant, making it suitable for use in the shower.”
Why we like it: Water-resistant. Rechargeable. Vibrator. As if anyone needed any more reasons why.

The Gadget: Geode Microwave
What it is: “Geode is a high-efficiency microwave that is more intuitive, attractive, efficient and sustainable than standard models. It is composed of two parts: a base and a lid.”
Why we like it: It looks amazingly good—as opposed to your usual fugly microwave oven—and it’s incredibly useful. Too bad this one is just a concept for now.

The Gadget: Hitachi Laser Liner Series
What it is: “The Hitachi Laser Liner Series is ideal for the positioning of slope structures such as stairs, handrails, internal building structures, electric lighting facilities and the alignments of tile joints for outer walls or plastering.”
Why we like it: It looks like an evil robot. Too bad the laser can be set from “line up” to “stun” to “DESTROY HUMANS.”

The Gadget: Belkin TuneStudio
What it is: “TuneStudio is a compact four-channel mixer for the iPod.”
Why we like it: Knobs. Pointy ones.

The Gadget: Lite2go Lamp
What it is: “The lite2go is a sustainably-designed household lamp that sheds the excess of packaging by eliminating it all together.”
Why we like it: The lamp is the package is the lamp.

The Gadget: Parruda Self-Propelled Sprayer
What it is: “This (vehicle) is an upgrade from the self-propelled Parruda Sprayer launched in 2000, which incorporates technological, functional and style enhancements designed to meet the requirements of agricultural input consumers.” It uses GPS, has new headlights, and increased field of vision.
Why we like it: A vehicle. To spray. The cockpit, the wheels, the handrails, all looks space-age weird and that’s why we like it. That and the fact that I’m picturing myself driving it down the US1 from NYC to the Florida keys in one of these, spraying everyone with, humm, dunno, some kind of sprayable thing.

The Gadget: The Amphibian™ Dynamic Scuba Fin
What it is: “This design allows divers to walk and climb boat ladders without removing their fins.”
Why we like it: So simple, and knowing the pain it is to do this, so effective. I want them. Also, it’s called amphibian, like some of the ladies of the world.

The Gadget: The Mule
What it is: “The Mule is an all-in-one stacker, transporter and portable work bench, designed for ease of use and to help increase productivity and reduce workplace injuries. It has a tough, steel-framed platform that can handle up to 350 pounds of material.”
Why we like it: Not to be confused by its Boston Dynamics’ relative, this Mule useful in so many ways, sturdy, and lets you get out your manly DIY instincts to abandon them two hours later, when you wake up in the hospital without three of your fingers and a major head contusion.

The Gadget: frog Light Bulb
What it is: “The light bulb concept takes the form of the traditional light bulb, but one-ups it in efficiency by using a high-output LED as the light source. This prototype also uses half the power of a fluorescent while lasting ten times longer.”
Why we like it: We like our friends at frog design. I like this light even more, because I love the shape of the classic bulb and I would hate to see it disappear in a fashion-disco-club nightmare of minimalist LED lights.

The Gadget: Speedglas™ SL (Super Light)
What it is: “Speedglas SL is a welding helmet with an auto-darkening filter to protect the eyes.”
Why we like it: It’s the world’s lightest welding helmet and it looks like a helmet I would wear while trying to battle cyber-dragons in sci-fi Middle Earth. And one more thing: Flashdance.

The Gadget: SylvanSport GO – Mobile Adventure Gear
What it is: “This is a three-in-one towable vehicle that morphs from a compact, traveling profile to a rugged toy-hauler mode to a spacious and comfortable camping configuration.”
Why we like it: TRANSFORMERS. And apparently you can go camping with it.

The Gadget: The RidgeRunner™
What it is: “The RidgeRunner is designed to increase safety and efficiency for construction workers as they install wooden roof trusses. Placement of a truss requires a worker at the peak to align and brace it.”
Why we like it: Not that we are going to install wooden roof trusses anytime soon, but the heavy-duty industrial look of the RidgeRunner makes me want to start doing that now.

The Gadget: Touch Sight
What it is: “Touch Sight is a revolutionary digital camera designed for visually impaired people. Simple features make it easy to use, including a unique feature which records sound for three seconds after pressing the shutter button. The user can then use the sound as reference when reviewing and managing the photos. Touch Sight does not have an LCD but instead has a lightweight, flexible Braille display sheet which displays a 3D image by embossing the surface, allowing the user to touch their photo.”
Why we like it: The design is simple and the idea is great, specially the Braille display sheet with embossed images. Too bad this one is just a concept too (designed by Samsung).

The Gadget: Armarac – 19′ Wall Mounter Server Enclosure
What it is: “The Armarac represents the evolution of the traditional 19-inch computer rack. It is the world’s first zero-footprint, compact, wall-mounted enclosure for computer and networking equipment.”
Why we like it: I want to put a few servers when I move to my new NYC apartment and I don’t want a horrible mini-rack. Neither I would have the space. This seems like the perfect solution, it’s smart and it will look great (even if I install it in a closet.)

The Gadget: Artengo RollNet
What it is: “Rollnet makes it possible to play table tennis in apartments or outdoors, on big tables and small tables — wherever someone feels like striking up a game.”
Why we like it: For those of your how play table tennis, being able to do it anywhere, without a full table, the RollNet is perfect. For the rest of us, we just like the concept and the looks.

The Gadget: Bloomberg Flexible Display
What it is: “This highly flexible and compact dual-head display allows subscribers to the Bloomberg Professional to easily adjust the screen’s display height, angle, vertical and horizontal orientations for optimum use with different software tools.”
Why we like it: One day, displays will look almost invisible from their sides, and be configurable in any way possible. The Bloomberg Flexible Display brings that day a lot closer. >This< close.

The Gadget: NYC Condom Dispenser/NYC Condom Wrapper
What it is: “The New York City Condom and Dispenser is an initiative of the NYC Department of Health, since the free distribution of condoms is an effective measure against HIV infections and unwanted pregnancies.”
Why we like it: Because.

As you can see, it’s refreshing to see that great design gets applied to every single aspect of our lives. [IDEA awards]

(Via Gizmodo.)

Next time you’re camping, instead of digging a hole or using one of those suspect comfort castle port-a-johns to dispense with No. 2, why not infuse a little portability into nature’s call with the Shit Box? It’s completely cardboard, fully biodegradable, and utterly ridiculous. And yet, I’m drawn to it. I want to see if it can hold my weight (170 lbs., colon empty). I want to know why designer Richard Wharton named his talking poo mascot “Little Jack,” and how the hell a company like this gets away with a returns policy page. But most of all, as a writer named Jack who also happens to go to the bathroom in the woods, I want to test one.

If you’re at all confused about how this product works, The Shit Box has an instruction manual:
I hear these are big in Russia. [The Shit Box]

(Via Gizmodo.)

Created by IDEC Corp., the device is a microbubble generator that washes the skin and hair of your dog without the use of doggie shampoo. According to the company, the negatively charged microbubbles attach to positively charged organic substances, thus dissolving grit and grime and leaving your Japanese speaking pooch clean as a whistle. The technology is suspiciously reminiscent of the non-water, sonic baths of “Star Trek,” so it would be nice if humans were allowed to get in on the soapless bath action soon, too.

Via Nikkei

(Via DVICE.)

By Andrew Liszewski

Popeye had spinach, the Gummi Bears had Gummi Berry Juice and now we know what kept Einstein going through those long nights of calculations. The Original Einstein’s Energy Bar is claimed to be “Relatively Delicious!” and reveals that Energy actually equals Mouth watering Chocolatey goodness… squared. But other than chocolate I have no idea what goes into these energy bars, and even if you don’t feel as smart as Einstein after eating one, you should probably just consider yourself lucky you didn’t go blind. You can get them from The Unemployed Philosophers Guild website (isn’t the unemployed part just assumed?) for $3 a pop.

[ Einstein’s Energy Bar ] VIA [ Nerd Approved ]

(Via OhGizmo!.)